Production places
Connections to water sources, peat places, maltings, cooperages, warehouses and maturation sites. Uncertain connections are labelled.
No documented production places are linked to this distillery yet.
History
Establishment and location
Isle of Wight Distillery was founded in 2014 by Xavier Baker and Conrad Gauntlett and is the island's first distillery as well as home to Mermaid Gin. The company is run as a local craft operation, rooted in the island's environment and natural ingredients.
Production focus and origin
Mermaid Gin has been handcrafted on the Isle of Wight since 2014 and is produced with ten ethically sourced botanicals. Local ingredients include rock samphire, sourced from the coast, Boadicea hops harvested at Ventnor Botanic Gardens and elderflower hand-picked from local fields. The distillation process is slow and focuses on capturing the heart of each batch for a particularly smooth finish. The bottle design is also given high importance and the packaging is plastic-free and partly recyclable.
Partnerships and range
In addition to Mermaid Gin, the range also includes the HMS Victory line. HMS Victory Gin is a Navy Strength gin at 57% ABV and is produced in partnership with the National Museum of the Royal Navy. There is also HMS Victory Oak Aged Gin with four releases, where each bottle is individually numbered and presented in a special box. There is also HMS Victory Rum and other Mermaid products such as Mermaid Spiced Rum, Mermaid Pink Gin, Mermaid Zest Gin, Mermaid Salt Vodka as well as limited edition releases such as Mermaid 10th Anniversary Gin.
Sustainability and business philosophy
The company has a strong sustainability profile. In 2022 Mermaid was certified as a B Corporation for environmental and social responsibility. The bottles are made from recyclable glass and a cork stopper, and the packaging is plastic-free or made from biodegradable materials in certain gift communications (for example the Seagrass Gift Set with mycelium packing). The Isle of Wight Distillery works, among other things, with seagrass restoration in the Solent through partnerships with the Hampshire & Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust, and they donate funds and support through activities with Surfers Against Sewage and other initiatives. There is a goal of net zero by 2030 and ongoing efforts to reduce packaging and waste as well as to improve the supply chain and energy use. Bottles and packaging are described as natural materials and recyclable, and there is extensive mention of sustainable processes and partnerships.